Ebi to moyashi no nanpuraa itame / prawn and soybean sprout saute with nam pla

The aroma and clear saltiness of nam pla highlights sweet prawns, bean sprouts and eggs.

<Ingredients>

Small handful (8-10) prawns
Large handful (150-200 g) daizu moyashi soybean sprouts
1 knob ginger
1 egg

For seasoning
1/2 tbsp shaoxing wine (sake in photo)
1/4 tsp kurozu brown rice vinegar (not in photo)
1 tsp nam pla fish sauce
1/4 tsp shiokoji salted rice malt (or salt) & pepper, to taste (not in photo)
1/4-1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional; not in photo)

1 tsp oil (for sauteing ingredients)


<Directions>
1.

Clean prawns with potato starch.
Remove skinny roots and discolored parts of moyashi.
Finely chop ginger.
Lightly beat egg.

2.

In a frying pan, heat oil, and saute moyashi at medium high to high heat.

Pepper to taste, and transfer to a plate.

3.

In the same frying pan, cook prawns and ginger.

When prawns' color changes (turns pink), pour egg, and roughly scramble.

Put moyashi back, add shaoxing wine, nam pla and kurozu vinegar.

Mix well.

Taste, and add shiokoji (1/4 tsp max) or a tiny pinch of salt as necessary.

(Optional) Add sesame oil, and mix well.

<Notes>

• If shaoxing wine is not at hand, regular sake works fine. Shaoxing wine has a deeper taste and aroma than sake. When shaoxing wine is used, you can cut back on other seasonings (nam pla and shiokoji/salt in this recipe).
• Kurozu brown rice vinegar has a stronger aroma and taste than regular rice wine, and it is added to impart another umami layer that works really well with shaoxing wine. Kurozu also contributes to cutting back on use of sodium-loaded seasonings.
• Nam pla from Thailand and nuoc mam from Vietnam are probably the world's best known fish sauces. Japan has a fish sauce too, called gyosho. Gyosho goes by different names in different regions (ishiru in Ishikawa, shottsuru in Akita, etc.), and the main ingredient also differs by region.
   

(Last updated: May 1, 2017)